Mooncakes are also known as ``reunion cakes''
as family members gather to partake of the sweet
confectionery.

Mooncakes are eaten throughout the month before
the actual festival day. They make meaningful gifts for kith and kin.

In the evenings, children gleefully carry
lanterns of all shapes and sizes. The bearing of lanterns and the origin of
mooncakes date back to a 14th century revolt by the Chinese against the
Mongols.

In 1376, the Chinese overthrew the Yuan
(Mongol) dynasty (1280-1376) in an uprising brilliantly hatched by
lantern-bearing messengers who delivered mooncakes with hidden messages.

Legend has it that the time and place of the
revolution were concealed in the mooncakes sent to friends and relatives. The
midnight massacre of the Mongols was led by Liu Bowen.

Today, altars are set up outside the house
facing the full moon on the night of the festival. The ``harvest moon'' is at
its brightest and roundest this time of the year.

Offerings of mooncakes, mini yams and water
caltrops are laid out for Chang-Er, also known as the Moon Lady. Round fruits
are offered as the shape symbolises the fullness of the moon and family
harmony.

Some women peel pomelos and mini yams in the
belief that they will have a flawless complexion. Others pray to the moon
goddess hoping to be blessed with good husbands.

The classic tale of Chang-Er, the beautiful
moon goddess, is associated with the Mooncake Festival. Pictures of her in a
flowy gown floating to the moon commonly adorn mooncake boxes.

Folklore has it that she was married to the
divine archer Hou Yi, who shot nine out of 10 suns that were causing havoc. For
his deed, the Queen Mother of the West gave him the elixir of life. Chang-Er
stole her husband's potion of immortality, drank it and found herself floating
to the moon. There she lives out her days in the cold lonely moon palace with a
furry rabbit for companion.

A slightly different version says that
Hou Yi was a tyrannical ruler. Chang-Er drank the magic potion to prevent him
from becoming immortal.

Another myth tells of woodcutter Wu Gang who
was banished to the moon and became Chang-Er's friend and servant. The Jade
Emperor punished Wu Gang by ordering him to cut down a cassia tree. It was a
task that could never be completed as the tree is immortal and would grow back
each time it is felled.

Moon worship has its roots in China's Sung
(960-1127), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, when commoners and
emperors alike observed the practice.

Imperial chefs made mooncakes over a metre in
diameter with designs of the moon goddess, the moon palace and cassia tree.
Ordinary mooncakes were several centimetres in diameter.

During the Qing dynasty, mooncakes were renamed
``moonflowers.'' In Mandarin, the word yuebing for mooncakes sounds like
``monthly sickness'' (or menstruation).

The Empress Dowager Ci Xi staged rituals for an
elaborate moon festival lasting from the 13th through the 17th day of the eighth
lunar month.

Some Chinese families today still stay up late
to observe the occasion eating mooncakes, sipping tea and gazing at the
beautiful moon. It is regarded the perfect moment if someone catches the moon's
reflection in the centre of his or her teacup.

Easy Chinese Moon Cakes

According to Shirley, Moon Cakes are eaten on Chinese New Years because the
Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar (and the little treats look like
the moon). They are also eaten as part of an autumn, harvest type
celebration which falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month.

There are many variations of this recipe. This one is simple for the
kids to help with and is desert-like. It reminds me of a cookie recipe my
husband's family makes (they're German though... go figure!)

The real moon cakes are far fancier and these will be, often with impressions
of chinese letters on them, but I think the fact that the kids can help makes up
for the less professional final product *grin*.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup salted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup
strawberry (or your favorite) jam (traditionally red bean paste is used so if
you want a more authentic version, you can use a can of red bean paste instead
of the jam).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the butter, sugar and 1 egg yolk and stir.

Mix in the
flour.

Form the dough into one large ball and wrap it in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate dough for half an hour.

Unwrap the chilled dough and form
small balls in the palms of your hand.

Make a hole with your thumb
in the center of each mooncake and fill with about half a teaspoon of
jam.

Brush each cake with the other beaten egg yolk and place on a cookie
sheet. (We didn't have a brush to do this, so skipped the brushing
step)

Bake for about 20 minutes or just until the outside edges are
slightly brown.

~ ~ ~

Devotee: Yes, but what does this have to do with nonduality?

Master: Have a moon cake.

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